Police-patrol signal-box



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

0. PLUMB.

POLICE PATROL SIGNAL BOX.

Patented Oct. 14, 1890.

Fig.2.

Fig.4.

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lnvento r. By m/14M Attorney- /(Witnesses.

| ERS c0), mom-mum, msnmm'cu u c (N6 Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

O. PLUMB.

POLICE PATROL SIGNAL BOX.

No. 438,361. Patented Oct. 14, 1890.

Witnesses. 5 Inventor.

THE Nunn|S warms co., wow-mum, msnmomu, n. c.

UNITED I STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES PLUMB, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

POLICE-PATROL SIGNAL-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 438,361, dated October 14, 1890.

Application filed October 21, 1889. Serial No. 327,617. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES PLUMB, a citizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Police-Patrol Signal-Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists in certain improvements in police-patrolsignahboxes, and will be fully and clearly hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a front elevation of the box complete. Fig. 2 is also a front elevation showing a vertical section cutting through the front of the box in or about line a b, Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation. Fig. .4 represents a portion of the switch-lever and a part of the fast and slow call button. Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation of a portion of the box, showing a portion of the pivoted switchlever and parts connected with it, also the well-known fast and slow call push-buttonin its position when released and pushed forward by the usual spring, and also a portion of the well-known mechanism connectedwith it.

The object of my invention is to provide the means for giving a fast or slow call for a police or other wagon without the necessity of opening or closing the door. Heretofore this has been accomplished by an inwardlyprojecting lug on the door, which when the door is closed is forced against the signalbutton and forces it back against the force of the spring which keeps it out. This signal-button when thus forced in is in the proper position for giving a fast call, (or avery urgent call,) so that by this construction it is necessary to open the door every time a slow signal is to be given. The object of my invention is to avoid this, as will be more clearly hereinafter shown.

In said drawings, 1 represents the ordinary police-patrol signal-box. It is preferably made of cast metal; but any other suitable material may be used. A door 2 is made of iron or other suitable material and secured by hinges 3 to the front of the box, and to the inner side of the door is pivoted an arm 4 by a pin 5. The upper portion of the arm 4 is provided with a short rod 6, projecting horizontally through a slot or opening 7 through the door, so as to receive a knob 8 for operating it, and an index-hand 9 for indicating the fast or slow position. Ashort arm 10 is rigidly secured to the lower end of the arm 4 or forms a part of it. To the arm 10 is secured by a pin 11 a spiral or other spring 12, having its opposite end connected to the inside of the door by a pin 13. The object of this spring is to bring the arm 4 back to its normal position.

The interior box 14 (shown in Fig. 2) represents the box in which the electrical signal mechanism is located; but as this box, its interior mechanism, and also the outer box may be varied in any way and as used is well known, and as it forms no part of my invention, a further description of either is not re quired here.

The push-buttons 15 (shown in Fig. 2) are made in the regular way, so as to be pushed in and forced out by a spring or its equivalent. The fastand slow call button 16 (shown in Figs. 3, 4, and 5, and by dotted linesin Fig. 2) is also made in the usual and well-known way.

Projecting out from the inside of the lower end of the short arm 10 isa pin 17, projecting inward, and over the pin 17 is slipped apiece of india-rubber tubing 18. (A piece of solid rubber would do just as well; but the rubber tubing is more convenient to get at.) The object of the rubber end 18 is to form an elastic end or pin to strike the fast and slow call button 16 and force it back when required.

The operation of the device is as follows: The instrument in its normal position is always as shown in Fig. 1, and set for a fast call. If it is desired to make a slow call, which is the call most usually made or required all the officer is required to do is to move the knob 8 to the point 19, (shown in Fig. 1,) thus bringing the arms 4 and 10 into the position shown by the dotted lines 20 and 21in Fig. 2. This operation draws the rubber pin or bolt 18 off from the button 16, thereby allowing it to spring outward in position for a slow call. To make the call, the handle 22 (which projects out through the opening 23 in the door) is pulled downward in the usual way and then released. This makes what is termed a slow call. The projecting portion 18 is now locked between two buttons and 10 and cannot be moved therefrom without opening the door, because the button 16 has sprung out, and the projection 18 is locked between the two buttons until the door is opened. The opening of the door draws its projecting pin 18 away from between the two buttons and permits the spring 12 to bring the parts to their normal position, so that when the door is closed again the fast and slow call button is pressed in again into its fast-call position.

'In Fig. 5 I have shown the fast and slow call push-button 16 in its released position so as to be forced forward by the spring 28 on the shaft 29, which is mounted in the supporting-frame 30 30, the spring 28, operating between the frame 30 and an arm 31, pivoted to a support by a pin 32 for operating the bar 33 for forming and breaking an electric circuit in the wellknown way; but as these parts are all old and well known and in themselves forrn no part of my invention afurther description of them here is not required. The dotted lines 34:, 35, and 36 represent the position of these parts when the push -button is forced in. By this construction the officer does not have to unlock and open the door to make either a fast or slow call; but when he sets it for and makes aslow call he must then open the door before the instrument can adjust itself, which it does automatically. The officer in making his report opens the door, which automatically sets the lever and button for a fast call, at which point it always remains when not in use.

An equivalent for the arm 4 and its connections would be a knob 25, (shown by dotted lines in Fig. 3,) secured to the pin 5, so that the arm at would be dispensed with. An index-hand could also be connected to'the knob, as shown by the dotted lines 27.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination, with a police-patrol signal-box, of an arm pivoted to the door, having a knob accessible from the outside of the door for operating it, a spring for bringing it to its normal position, and a pin for forcing the fast and slow call button of a police-patrol signal-box in by the act of closing the door, substantially as described.

2. In a police-patrol signal-box, the combination of an arm pivoted to the inside of the box, a spring for keeping said arm in its normal position, a pin on said arm for forcing the fast and slow call push-button in by the act of closing the door, and a knob connected with said arm so as to be accessible from the outside of the door for moving the pin off from the fast and slow call button to release it, substantially as described.

3. In a police-patrol signal-box, an arm pivoted to the door, a spring for keeping it in its normal position, a rod connected with the pivoted arm and projecting therefrom outside of the box, carrying an index-hand and a knob for operating it, and a pin projecting inside from the pivoted arm for forcing the fast and slow call push-button in, substantially as described.

CHARLES PLUMB.

Witnesses:

JAMES SANesrER, GEO. J. Buonnm'r, Jr. 

